Display device and method for manufacturing same

• US 9,786,731 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2016
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Matsuura, Toshiyuki, Kashiwabara, Mitsuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): COLEMAN, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US15/074,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20160284785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/824 combined with auxiliary electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/131 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/80522 combined with auxiliary electrodes

Abstract

A display device includes a substrate. A pixel electrode is disposed on the substrate. An auxiliary electrode is disposed on the substrate. A first auxiliary line is connected to the auxiliary electrode. A second auxiliary line is spaced apart from the auxiliary electrode. A top electrode contacts at least one of the auxiliary electrode, the first auxiliary line, or the second auxiliary line. An organic light emitting layer is disposed between the top electrode and the pixel electrode, and is disposed between the top electrode and the first and second auxiliary lines.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a substrate;

a pixel electrode disposed on the substrate;

an auxiliary electrode disposed on the substrate;

a first auxiliary line connected to the auxiliary electrode;

a second auxiliary line spaced apart from the auxiliary electrode;

a top electrode contacting at least one of the auxiliary electrode, the first auxiliary line, or the second auxiliary line; and

an organic light emitting layer disposed between the top electrode and the pixel electrode, disposed between the top electrode and the first auxiliary line, and disposed between the top electrode and the second auxiliary line.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein an insulating layer is disposed between the second auxiliary line and the auxiliary electrode.

3. The display device of claim 1, further comprising a transparent conductive layer disposed between the organic light emitting layer and the top electrode.

4. The display device of claim 1, wherein a distance between the second auxiliary line and the surface of the auxiliary electrode that is adjacent to the second auxiliary line is about 50 nm to about 2 μ

m.

5. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first auxiliary line and the second auxiliary line are spaced apart from each other and are each aligned in parallel with the substrate, and wherein at least a portion of the organic light emitting layer is disposed between the first auxiliary line and the second auxiliary line.

6. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first auxiliary line and the second auxiliary line are formed of a same material as the pixel electrode, and are formed on a same layer as the pixel electrode.

7. The display device of claim 1, further comprising a transistor including a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode, wherein the auxiliary electrode is formed of a same material and on a same layer as one of the gate electrode, the source electrode, or the drain electrode.

8. The display device of claim 1, further comprising a transistor including a gate electrode and a semiconductor layer that is spaced apart from the gate electrode, wherein the semiconductor layer is composed of a semiconductor material, wherein the auxiliary electrode includes the semiconductor material, and wherein the semiconductor material of the auxiliary electrode is doped.

9. The display device of claim 1, further comprising one or more insulating films disposed between the auxiliary electrode and the first auxiliary line, and disposed between the auxiliary electrode and the second auxiliary line, wherein:

the top electrode is connected, through an opening, to at least one of the auxiliary electrode, the first auxiliary line, or the second auxiliary line, and the top electrode is disposed in the one or more insulating films and the organic light emitting layer; and

the opening exposes the auxiliary line.

10. The display device of claim 2, wherein the second auxiliary line is disposed on the auxiliary electrode, and wherein the top surface of the insulating layer contacts the second auxiliary line.

11. The display device of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the second auxiliary line vertically overlaps the auxiliary electrode.

12. A method for manufacturing a display device, comprising:

forming a pixel electrode on a substrate;

forming an auxiliary electrode on the substrate;

forming a first auxiliary line that is connected to the auxiliary electrode;

forming a second auxiliary line that is spaced apart from the auxiliary electrode;

forming an organic light emitting layer on the pixel electrode, the auxiliary electrode, the first auxiliary line, and the second auxiliary line;

generating a discharge effect between the auxiliary electrode and the second auxiliary line; and

forming a top electrode contacting at least one of the auxiliary electrode, the first auxiliary line, or the second auxiliary line.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising forming an interlayer insulating film between the second auxiliary line and the auxiliary electrode.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the generating of the discharge effect comprises dielectrically breaking down a portion of the organic light emitting layer that is adjacent to the second auxiliary line to form an opening exposing at least a portion of the auxiliary line.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein a distance between the second auxiliary line and a surface of the auxiliary electrode is about 50 nm to about 2 μ

m.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the generating of the discharge effect further comprises applying a voltage to the first auxiliary line and the second auxiliary line to dielectrically break down the organic light emitting layer.

17. A display device, comprising:

a substrate;

a source/drain electrode disposed on the substrate;

a planarizing layer disposed over the source/drain electrode;

a pixel electrode disposed over the planarizing layer, the pixel electrode electrically contacting the source/drain electrode through a hole in the planarizing layer;

a first auxiliary line disposed on the planarizing layer;

a second auxiliary line disposed on the planarizing layer, and spaced apart from the first auxiliary line by a space;

an organic light emitting layer disposed over, and electrically contacting, the first auxiliary line, the second auxiliary line, and the pixel electrode; and

a top electrode disposed over the organic light emitting layer and contacting the first and second auxiliary lines through the space between the first and second auxiliary lines; and

a transparent conductive layer disposed between the organic light emitting layer and the top electrode.

18. The display device of claim 17, further comprising:

a semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate;

a gate insulating film covering the substrate and the semiconductor layer;

a gate electrode disposed on the gate insulating film; and

an interlayer insulation film disposed over the gate electrode and the gate insulating film,

wherein the source/drain electrode is disposed on the interlayer insulation film and the source/drain electrode electrically contacts the semiconductor layer through a hole in the interlayer insulation film.

19. The display device of claim 17, wherein the transparent conductive layer comprises a thin metal film or a transparent conductive oxide.

20. The display device of claim 17, wherein the distance is in a range of between 50 nm to 2 μ

m.